3D Low Poly Concept Artist Paul Lamy de la Chapelle

It’s been a long time since I got a chance to write a new post. Life had been busy. In a good way. I’m barely able to write this one, as time is really scarce these past few months.

It’s not that I don’t get inspired by new stuff out there, I really do, I just got caught in a lot of projects, and time flies.

Well… Today I told myself I have to squeeze one out of me. What better way to do so by showcasing a promising concept artist named Paul Lamy de la Chapelle.

It’s no secret that I am sucker for anything that is low poly 3d work, and Paul’s work fills that need for me. The unique style he has, and the way he sculpts his characters and environments is superb.

I had a little Q&A session with Paul about his 3D low poly work and creative process, have a look below.

Hi Paul, can you please share a bit of background about yourself?

“Hello, my name is Paul and I am a freelance game artist from France. I currently work on several mobile game projects for different customers from UK, Spain or even Vietnam. I mainly conceive 3D assets for some 3D mobile games, but I also like to work on 2D games. Every day, I create 3D characters, interfaces and environments. It requires me to create modelling, unwrapping, texturing, rigging, skinning and sometimes 3D animation.”

When did you start doing 3D work, and how did you turn it into a profession?

“At the beginning of my career, I was a graphic designer and illustrator. I designed logotypes, window shops and even children’s books for several communication companies. Then, I decided to mainly work in the 3D industry for some architecture and 3D animation projects. I became more and more interested in video games, so I started to work as a 3D generalist artist in a company called F4. Then, I created and realized 3D environments for the game studio Mimesis Republic. Later, I worked as a freelancer for different companies like Fishing Cactus, Vcult or Virtualware group. I’m glad to have worked on nice games like empire of sports, mamba nation or monster essences.”

Where do you get your inspiration from?

“Each day, I play different kind of video games: PC, mobile, indie or AAA games. I guess I get my inspiration from all these great projects. For instance, I have recently played awesome games like Inside or Distraints. Moreover, I frequently have a look at graphic social platforms like behance, twitter or artstation, where you can find plenty of amazing artists and pictures. Of course, it is always important to watch TV, movies and video clips which can inspire you and help you make your artworks better.”

What are the tools you usually use for your work?

“In all of my projects, I use traditional and digital tools. I prefer hand drawing to create sketches and concept arts. But for the final render of a picture or for the textures of a 3D low poly model, I will obviously use digital softwares like Photoshop. I also work with different 3D tools and render engines which permit me to create nice 3D models, light them and animate them. Finally, I definitely like to use the Unity engine, a user friendly and powerful tool which permits to create amazing games.”

What is your typical work process when you start a new project?

“The first thing to do is to organize my project. List my tasks and build a realistic schedule. Then, I can begin work. If my mission is to realize a 3D character I will first make a concept art and a model sheet. Once it is accepted by the customer, I can go ahead with the modelling, unwrapping and texturing of my 3D low poly model. For each step, it’s important to obtain a validation from the customer, and to adapt the work to the technical requirements.”

What kind of clients do you typically work for?

“In the past, I mainly worked on PC games. Now my portfolio is focused on mobile games, so it logically attracts mobile game companies. Most of them are little studios which create their first 2D or 3D games. Therefore, they need to work with people who have a lot of experience and who can give them good advice. My customers come from Spain, Israel, UK or even Vietnam. I’m glad I get to work with kind people, who are located everywhere in the world and who have the same passion for video games as i do.”

How can people get in touch with you?

“Every week, I receive new messages and opportunities thanks to social platforms. I’m glad to be in touch with new customers, new artists and to talk about our work. You can find me on behance which is my favorite social network. But I’m also on Twitter which is perfect to show your game projects. Of course, you can easily join me on Linkedin, Facebook or Artstation. So don’t hesitate to add me to your contacts on any of these platforms and send me a message.”